HOW HARD IZIT??
Jun 10, 1999, 9:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: okatie,sc,usa
Posts: 50
HOW HARD IZIT??
I AM A NEW SKYMILES MEMBER AFTER HAVING FLOWN A RESPECTABLE NUMBER OF FREE FLIGHTS ON CONTINENTAL, (WHICH I WAS NEVER DENIED A FREE SEAT). AFTER BEING UNABLE TO TURN DOWN 20,000 SKYMILES OPTIMA POINTS AND DOUBLE MILES FROM 5/15-6/15.........I NOW HAVE ABOUT 40,000 SKYMILES. ALL I HAVE EVER HEARD IS THAT IT IS A DOGGONE NIGHTMARE TO GET A FREE SKYMILES SEAT ON DELTER AIRLINES.
IS THIS TRUE??? ARE YOU ALL TELLING ME I HAVE A SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN HADES OF GETTIN MY FREE TICKET TO HAWAII OR MY 48 STATE 1ST CLASS TICKET??????
WHY................WHY.............
HELP ME PLEASE.
IS THIS TRUE??? ARE YOU ALL TELLING ME I HAVE A SNOWBALL'S CHANCE IN HADES OF GETTIN MY FREE TICKET TO HAWAII OR MY 48 STATE 1ST CLASS TICKET??????
WHY................WHY.............
HELP ME PLEASE.
Jun 10, 1999, 9:38 pm
#2
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,580
NO NEED TO YELL!
I don't know where you got this story of doom and gloom from, but if you're willing to take either a Coach or First Class seat, you can usually get a free ticket. I've managed to get most of the free tickets I've tried to, usually in the desired class, or at least one of the classes.
I don't know about Hawaii though ... never tried.
Don't forget you can also use those miles to redeem a domestic US award on United.
I don't know where you got this story of doom and gloom from, but if you're willing to take either a Coach or First Class seat, you can usually get a free ticket. I've managed to get most of the free tickets I've tried to, usually in the desired class, or at least one of the classes.
I don't know about Hawaii though ... never tried.
Don't forget you can also use those miles to redeem a domestic US award on United.
Jun 10, 1999, 9:50 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: okatie,sc,usa
Posts: 50
thanks for your input beckles......
please accept my humble apology for yelling at you so loudly.
i was just a bit agitated after reading in the past about other skymiles members who apparantly weren't as fortunate as you to get a seat any sooner that 18-36 months out.
i am very happy to hear it isn't that difficult.
thanks for your help! i promise to keep it down to a whisper for here on out.
at least i'll try!!!
please accept my humble apology for yelling at you so loudly.
i was just a bit agitated after reading in the past about other skymiles members who apparantly weren't as fortunate as you to get a seat any sooner that 18-36 months out.
i am very happy to hear it isn't that difficult.
thanks for your help! i promise to keep it down to a whisper for here on out.
at least i'll try!!!
Jun 10, 1999, 11:09 pm
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,507
Beckles is correct - if you plan your travel with sufficient notice and are flexible with time of day if not class and date, you should be fine. I've never been denied a free seat on Delta. By the way, if you're elite you're at an advantage as they have special quotas and waived black-out dates for Medallion members. Obviously, you're going to have more difficulty if you're travelling at peak times of year - Thanksgiving, Christmas or on busy routes - Europe during the summer and Hawaii.
Beckles is right: you can always try UA if DL is full.
Beckles is right: you can always try UA if DL is full.
Jun 11, 1999, 6:24 am
#5
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
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coolbreeze ~ anyone who tells you they can't get a seat 18-36 months in advance is full of ****, no two ways about it. No airline I can think of allows you to even book travel (purchased or award) more than eleven months in advance, so there's no way to even book an award seat "18-36 months" in advance.
Jun 11, 1999, 8:51 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: okatie,sc,usa
Posts: 50
thanks beckles and leroy 11,
i feel much better about my chances.
i appreciate you kind words of wisdom
aloha
i feel much better about my chances.
i appreciate you kind words of wisdom
aloha
Jun 11, 1999, 9:34 am
#7
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
Interesting, I have heard nightmares about getting award seats on Delta as well. Read the post on The Buzz about "% award seats" (or something similar).
Delta was involved in a class-action suit (recently settled I believe) about lack of award seats. No other airline I'm aware of has ever had this happen. In addition, as I noted in the other post, Delta consistently has very high load factors. This serves to make freebies tougher to get, as is borne out by the low award % quoted for Delta.
It may be true that getting an award seat on DL is much less difficult for elite level (Medallion) flyers, but that doesn't help the rest of us.
Delta was involved in a class-action suit (recently settled I believe) about lack of award seats. No other airline I'm aware of has ever had this happen. In addition, as I noted in the other post, Delta consistently has very high load factors. This serves to make freebies tougher to get, as is borne out by the low award % quoted for Delta.
It may be true that getting an award seat on DL is much less difficult for elite level (Medallion) flyers, but that doesn't help the rest of us.
Jun 11, 1999, 9:56 am
#8
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
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Medallion only gets you waived black out dates, other than that it's not like there are awards seats dedicated for just Medallion level members as far as I know.
I've redeemed three tickets on DL since joining without much difficulty. Two were exactly what I wanted and one I had to fly out of a fairly convenient alternate airport, and that was on an award ticket I booked less than seven days in advance.
I've redeemed three tickets on DL since joining without much difficulty. Two were exactly what I wanted and one I had to fly out of a fairly convenient alternate airport, and that was on an award ticket I booked less than seven days in advance.
Jun 11, 1999, 10:04 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: okatie,sc,usa
Posts: 50
alrighty then.......
let's everybody take a vote....
how hard izit???
"1" is 'pert near impossible
"10" is easiest program for a free seat
wait a minute.....didn't somebody named freddie do this already?
i don't think delta was in the top 3.
yeah or nay?
let's everybody take a vote....
how hard izit???
"1" is 'pert near impossible
"10" is easiest program for a free seat
wait a minute.....didn't somebody named freddie do this already?
i don't think delta was in the top 3.
yeah or nay?
Jun 11, 1999, 10:09 am
#10
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
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In my experience it's an 7.5286455587323
Jun 11, 1999, 10:19 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: okatie,sc,usa
Posts: 50
ok, that's one vote,
we have a 7.5286455587323 average.
anybody else?
we have a 7.5286455587323 average.
anybody else?
Jun 11, 1999, 11:41 am
#12
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Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
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Posts: 4,707
With 5 being average, I'd give DL a 3. That is based solely on the award seat %'s noted, the class-action suit, and more than a handful of stories from FF's. Ain't no way it's even close to 7.5.....
Jun 11, 1999, 12:46 pm
#13
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
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The class action suit is a result of a frequent flyer program award policy change that occurred 1989 and has nothing to do with award availibility in 1999.
As for % of seats, as I said elsewhere, that is not necessarily an accurate measure of availability because you need to know other factors too, most importantly % of miles earned by activities other than flying (which is much higher for some of the other airlines that are ranked above Delta, particularly the #1 airline).
Finally, I take anecdotal evidence as what it is ...
[This message has been edited by Beckles (edited 06-11-1999).]
As for % of seats, as I said elsewhere, that is not necessarily an accurate measure of availability because you need to know other factors too, most importantly % of miles earned by activities other than flying (which is much higher for some of the other airlines that are ranked above Delta, particularly the #1 airline).
Finally, I take anecdotal evidence as what it is ...
[This message has been edited by Beckles (edited 06-11-1999).]
Jun 11, 1999, 4:30 pm
#14
Join Date: May 1999
Location: CVG
Programs: DL DM 4MM, Lifetime Marriott Plat Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,429
I've rarely had a problem getting a coach award seat, but up front is more difficult. Therefore:
Coach: 7.5
1St: 4
A couple of suggestions, Delta opens reservations 330 days out. If you want Hawaii, call early and often and call just after midnight!
Also, I've had great luck calling last minute (less than a week out) in getting the 1st class seats.
One more thought, Delta does state in it's membership guide that it does reserve the right limit the number of seats available on any flight, and that the number can be zero. That sucks! See more comments later on airline passenger rights!!
Heading for a red eye in PDX.
Coach: 7.5
1St: 4
A couple of suggestions, Delta opens reservations 330 days out. If you want Hawaii, call early and often and call just after midnight!
Also, I've had great luck calling last minute (less than a week out) in getting the 1st class seats.
One more thought, Delta does state in it's membership guide that it does reserve the right limit the number of seats available on any flight, and that the number can be zero. That sucks! See more comments later on airline passenger rights!!
Heading for a red eye in PDX.
Jun 11, 1999, 4:35 pm
#15
Join Date: May 1999
Location: CVG
Programs: DL DM 4MM, Lifetime Marriott Plat Elite, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,429
I've rarely had a problem getting a coach award seat, but up front is more difficult. Therefore:
Coach: 7.5
1St: 4
A couple of suggestions, Delta opens reservations 330 days out. If you want Hawaii, call early and often and call just after midnight!
Also, I've had great luck calling last minute (less than a week out) in getting the 1st class seats.
One more thought, Delta does state in it's membership guide that it does reserve the right limit the number of seats available on any flight, and that the number can be zero. That sucks! See more comments later on airline passenger rights!!
Heading for a red eye in PDX.
Coach: 7.5
1St: 4
A couple of suggestions, Delta opens reservations 330 days out. If you want Hawaii, call early and often and call just after midnight!
Also, I've had great luck calling last minute (less than a week out) in getting the 1st class seats.
One more thought, Delta does state in it's membership guide that it does reserve the right limit the number of seats available on any flight, and that the number can be zero. That sucks! See more comments later on airline passenger rights!!
Heading for a red eye in PDX.